Rail-joint.



F. R l RUSH.

- RAILJOINT. v A

APPLICATION FILEDv 11H21. 1909. -5

Patented Apr. 5, 1910 i I u v uumlr-tor I y a ZJ Hkz 3 1 'Joining rails, and 3 supporting ties arranged me proper distance beyond the hne of the joint,

FRANK E. BUSH, 0F AKBLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

BAIL-JOINT.

Speccetion of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

Application filed Hay 21, 1909. Serial No. 497,533.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. RUsH, a citizen of the United States, residin at Alxeley, in the county of Warren and tate of Pennsylvania, have invented new und useful Im rovements in Rail-Joints, of which the Rowing is a speccation.

This invention rela-tes to improvements in rail joints, the object of the invention being to provide co rating splicing or couplmg devices ada t to be secured to the meeting ends o the rails and adjacent ties in such a manner as to ell'ectually brace and support the rails against either lateral or longitudinal movement, forming a joint construction which will prevent independent movement of the rails except to the slight extent for expansion and contraction, and which at the same time admits of the ready disassociation of the parts for repairs or the substitution of new rails or elements of the track structure.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompairying drawing, in which:-

lgure 1 is a side elevation of the meeting ends of two rails connected by my improved joint. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fi 4 is a perspective view of one of the coup 1g de- VlCeS.

Referring to the drawin the numerals and 2 represent the meetlng ends of adelow the rails on opposite sides of the of the joint.

The improved joint fastening comprises splicing or coupling members 4 and 5, which are similar in construction so that a description of one will sufiice for both. Each coupling member is of a length to extend a and embodies a. vertical fish-plate 6 provided at its upper and lower edges with shoulders 7 and 8 to bear against. the adjacent side of the web of the rail at the points of junction of the latter with the head and base tiunge of thc rail. The plate 6 is also provided with the usual openings 8 for the passage of the bolts 9 for astemug the rails and coupln m'm bers trgcther.

From the ower edge o the plate 6 extends a flange 10 which projects laterally outward l and is inclined to rest upon the upper surface of the adjacent Bange of the rail base and is adapted to be engaged at its outer edge adjacent to its respective ends by the heads of spikes or similar fastening devices which are driven into the ties 3 to secure the coupling member thereto. By means of the bolts and spikes the coupling members are firmly fastened to the rails and to the ties to prevent relative lateral movement of the rails or relative longitudinal movement thereof except to the sllght extent required for contraction and expansion.

Project-ing inwardl from the outer edge of the flange 10 is a hase plate 12, which is of a length equal to the distance between the inner faces of the ties 3 and of a width somewhat less than one half the width of the base of the rail, so that the ends of the rails are exposed beyond said plates to rest s uarely upon the upper surfaces of the ties, w ile the plates 12 of the respective coupling members project beneath the rails between the ties and thus sta and support the rails from depression. Tile plates 12 further have their end portions bearing against the adjacent sides of the ties to prevent any possibility of longitudinal shifting of the rails and coupling members, thus avoidin the tendency of the rails to creep.

n order to secure a firm connection between the base lates 12 and the rail, said plates are each liormed with an opening 13 registering with a corresponding opening 14 in the overhanging portion of the coactu flange 10. Through these o enings exten clamping bolts 15 whose head; rest upon the upper surfaces of the Hanges and whose lower ends (project below the plates 12 and are provide with securing nuts 16. These bolts project downward between the meeting ends of the adjacent flanges of the rails, which portions of the rails are formed with registering grooves or recesses 17 receiving the Shanks of the bolts. When the parts are assembled, the bolts are assed downward through the openinfvs an recesses and the nut 16 applied and drawn tight to move the parts l0 and 12 relatively toward one another so as to cause them to firmly nucl securely clamp the base iangcs of the rails and to thereby add to the security of the bint.

J From the foregouor description, taken in connection with the c rowing, it will be sci-.u that the invention provides a rail joint which is not only simple of construction, but firm] ties the rail and forms :i secure support therefor nt the joint, as well :is preventing,r either vertical, lateral or longltudi nel movement of thc rail, und. thutl withal the arts of the 'oint muy be readily and quie ily disassenl led for convenience 1n making repairs or substituting new rails for those worn b continuous servlee.

Having t ns fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is The combination with the meeting ends i of rails, of supporting ties for the rails arranged ad'acent such ends, coupling members emhm ying fish plates extendinv across the meeting ends of the rails and Cbearing against the o posite sides of the webs of the rails, said p ates being provided with out- Wurdly extending buse flanges resting on the hase flanges of the rails, and the upper surfaces of the ties, said flanges being coextensive in length with the fish plates and having base plates projecting) inwardly therefrom and beneath the rails etween the ties and bearing at their ends against the opposin r facce of the lie, the cm1 portions of the use [langes of the rails being provided with n'mtli'ig grooves or recesses und the flanges und buse plantes of the coupling members with openn 's rcgsterin v with seid grooves, rounded longitudinal hearing ribs on the u per and lower edges of the inner faces o the fish lates to beur upon the webs of the rails adjacent the heads vand base flanges thereof, fastening members engaging the outer edges of the base flanges of the coupling members and securing the same to the ties, and fastening' bolts nssingr through said grooves in the ends of t v1e rails and holes in the flanges und buse plntes of the coupling members and operating to draw said flanges and base plates together to clamp snid base flanges to the rails.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence ot two witnesses.

FRANK R. RUSH.

Witnesses: t SABA T. Bowen, B. H. RUSH. 

